Vehicle lateral dynamics estimation using telemetry data

Abstract

A system includes a processor and a memory storing instructions which when executed by the processor configure the processor to receive telemetry data from a vehicle being driven in a road segment, detect lane changes made by the vehicle in the road segment based on the telemetry data, and characterize the road segment and driver behavior based on the lane changes and the telemetry data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory storing instructions which when executed by the processor configure the processor to:
 receive telemetry data from a vehicle being driven in a road segment; 
 detect lane changes made by the vehicle in the road segment based on the telemetry data; and 
 characterize the road segment and driver behavior based on the lane changes and the telemetry data. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the instructions further configure the processor to:
 estimate a location of the vehicle in a lane using the telemetry data and a model; 
 estimate a lateral velocity of the vehicle; and 
 detect the lane changes based on the location and the lateral velocity. 
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the instructions further configure the processor to detect a lane change when the vehicle moves from a center of the lane to a boundary of the lane, from the boundary of the lane to a boundary of an adjacent lane, from the boundary of the adjacent lane to a center of the adjacent lane. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the instructions further configure the processor to:
 determine a time taken by the vehicle to make each of the lane changes; and 
 characterize the road segment and the driver behavior based on the time taken by the vehicle to make each of the lane changes. 
 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the instructions further configure the processor to characterize the road segment and the driver behavior based on a plurality of lane changes made by the vehicle and by other vehicles in the road segment. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the instructions further configure the processor to inform drivers of the vehicle and other vehicles about the characterizations of the road segment and the driver behavior for navigation planning. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the instructions further configure the processor to control the vehicle and other vehicles based on the characterizations of the road segment and the driver behavior. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the instructions further configure the processor to:
 determine a location of the vehicle in a lane based on the telemetry data and mapping data of the lane received from a lane-level mapping system; and 
 detect the lane changes based on the determined location of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the instructions further configure the processor to:
 divide a road on which the vehicle is being driven into customized road segments, which include the road segment; 
 receive the telemetry data from the vehicle as the vehicle is being driven on the road; 
 determine location information of the vehicle based on the telemetry data and mapping data of the road received from a road-level mapping system; 
 cache the location information paired with the road segments; 
 detect the lane changes by processing the cached location information paired with the road segments; and 
 characterize the road segments and the driver behavior based on the lane changes and the telemetry data. 
 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the instructions further configure the processor to provide the characterization of the road segment to a traffic management system, provide the characterization of the driver behavior to a fleet management system associated with the vehicle, and provide the characterization of the driver behavior to an insurer. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 receiving telemetry data from a vehicle being driven in a road segment;   detecting lane changes made by the vehicle in the road segment based on the telemetry data; and   characterizing the road segment and driver behavior based on the lane changes and the telemetry data.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 estimating a location of the vehicle in a lane using the telemetry data and a model; 
 estimating a lateral velocity of the vehicle; and 
 detecting the lane changes based on the location and the lateral velocity. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising detecting a lane change when the vehicle moves from a center of the lane to a boundary of the lane, from the boundary of the lane to a boundary of an adjacent lane, from the boundary of the adjacent lane to a center of the adjacent lane. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 determining a time taken by the vehicle to make each of the lane changes; and 
 characterizing the road segment and the driver behavior based on the time taken by the vehicle to make each of the lane changes. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising characterizing the road segment and the driver behavior based on a plurality of lane changes made by the vehicle and by other vehicles in the road segment. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising informing drivers of the vehicle and other vehicles about the characterizations of the road segment and the driver behavior for navigation planning. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising controlling the vehicle and other vehicles based on the characterizations of the road segment and the driver behavior. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 determining a location of the vehicle in a lane based on the telemetry data and mapping data of the lane received from a lane-level mapping system; and 
 detecting the lane changes based on the determined location of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 dividing a road on which the vehicle is being driven into customized road segments, which include the road segment; 
 receiving the telemetry data from the vehicle as the vehicle is being driven on the road; 
 determining location information of the vehicle based on the telemetry data and mapping data of the road received from a road-level mapping system; 
 caching the location information paired with the road segments; 
 detecting the lane changes by processing the cached location information paired with the road segments; and 
 characterizing the road segments and the driver behavior based on the lane changes and the telemetry data. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising:
 providing the characterization of the road segment to a traffic management system; 
 providing the characterization of the driver behavior to a fleet management system associated with the vehicle; and 
 providing the characterization of the driver behavior to an insurer.